7 Traps WWE’s Brand Extension Has Fallen Into (Again)

7. Lack Of Real Roster Depth

Quick question, WWE: just how many times can you present Kevin Owens vs. Roman Reigns and expect people to maintain the same level of interest?

Further, there's only so much of the same old combinations across both Raw and SmackDown people can be expected to take. The blue brand isn't exempt from this, as AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose is another match that has been done to death.

It'd be harsh to criticise the actual wrestlers themselves for their work, and combos like KO/Reigns do deliver inside the ring. At the same time though, it's hard to shake the feeling that watching current programming is like watching a repeat. That's down to the lack of numbers across the two major brands.

This was a problem first time around with the brand extension too, which is why bouts like Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar happened with alarming regularity. Again, world class fare, but any match will lose some shine if it's presented weekly for a sustained period of time.

It all makes sense when viewed plainly, because cutting your numbers in half for each show is always going to breed repetition.